Smoked too much weed again at the weekend and your mom tells you that your brain will remain underdeveloped forever? Before you argue with her: remember that she only wants the best for you - and she just has no idea. It is true that cannabis consumption can affect development in minors in the long term, but that requires some kind of long-term use. If you are at least 21 years old, cannabis does not have long-term effects on the brain. However, even if it cannot be counted as a dangerous drug, it can lead to side effects of cannabis that can be easily avoided
Prejudice: A side effect of cannabis is addiction
A legitimate concern for many is the issue of addiction. After all, cannabis – like alcohol and many other mind-altering substances – is psychoactive, meaning it has an effect on the brain. And in the case of cannabis in particular, this issue must be approached in a differentiated manner. First of all: you will be addicted to cannabis no physical dependence This means that you will not experience withdrawal symptoms like with other substances if you take a break or stop using it after a period of continuous use. However, a “side effect” of cannabis can be some kind of psychological dependence because cannabis definitely changes the way we deal with our emotions.
If, for example, you use it as a sedative to put some distance between you and the world when you are overstimulated, you suddenly find it much more difficult to deal with stressful situations and people when sober. And it also changes how we perceive ourselves and our emotions and how we deal with them: You will notice that as a seasoned stoner, it is a little more difficult for you to process stressful emotions in a healthy way when sober. This can lead to you quickly longing for the next joint because it will bring you the relief that you would otherwise have to work hard to achieve. But this is not a general side effect of cannabis, but depends largely on how you deal with the issue, how impulsive you are and why you smoke a joint - or Vaporizer – grab.
Consequences and symptoms for chronic smokers: serious side effects from cannabis – or rather not?
This is precisely why chronic smokers often have weak impulses and lose their temper easily - they have forgotten how to deal with their emotions in a healthy way and process them. Statistically speaking, this also increases the risk of secondary illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorders or psychosis. In most cases, however, this can be reversed, especially if the affected person stops using, seeks help and starts to develop better coping strategies.
We don't want to scare you with this article: Long-term use doesn't have to manifest itself in this way. In the end, only you can decide for yourself whether consumption helps you, affects you, or maybe even both. Some people also accept some of the side effects of cannabis because they don't seem that important to them, or because they have bigger problems anyway - pain and cancer patients, for example. For them, consumption means a huge relief and enables them to lead at least a partially normal everyday life. These people are unlikely to develop depression. But the side effects of cannabis are so individual and situation-dependentthat we would like to take a closer look at some of them.
Side effects of daily cannabis consumption: depression and personality changes
Let's assume that you are not a pain or cancer patient - but a "normal" citizen of our culture, but you just like to smoke a lot of weed. What about the side effects of cannabis Let's look at the factors that play a role:
- Do you have any previous mental illnesses?
- Do you tend to avoid problems?
- Do you tend to isolate yourself?
If you answered "yes" to any of the questions, then take another close look at your own consumption. Firstly, because people suffering from mental illnesses are more susceptible to unwanted side effects such as psychosis caused by cannabis. In principle, there is already a connection between cannabis and psychosis (consumers are about three times more susceptible) and this effect is increased if you already have a predisposition in this direction. If you are aware of this, it is reason enough to be cautious with consumption.
And if you have more of an "avoidant" personality structure? Then cannabis consumption may only help you to come out of your shell and deal with the problems in your life in a targeted manner. But here too, a differentiated view is necessary, because if used correctly, cannabis can relieve anxiety in social situations and help you to be less afraid of contact. It all depends on how you personally use this substance. As a medicinal plant or a drug? Because that also depends on whether you experience negative side effects from cannabis in the long term or a personality change as a result of consumption.
Short-term side effects of cannabis
Have you ever smoked a too-big joint with your buddies and no one wanted to stop because everyone wanted to prove themselves and half of you ended up throwing up? It can happen. While there are no reports of anyone dying from consuming too much cannabis, the effects can be extremely unpleasant and range from headaches to nausea and even fainting. Most people just fall asleep after throwing up once. But what should you do if you experience heart palpitations, circulatory problems and nausea after smoking a joint?
First, get some fresh air or open the window. And relax if possible. Don't worry - dying from it is really not a side effect of cannabis. So try not to get worked up about the physical sensation, but stay relaxed if possible. Sit down somewhere, talk to a friend who makes you feel comfortable, and drink a few sips of water if you can. And then it's a matter of waiting. It's an unpleasant state, but it will go away again. If you feel the urge to move, then do it! Gentle exercise helps a little against some of the side effects of cannabis, as it stimulates circulation.
Does cannabis give you headaches?
This can also happen. Whether you have taken on too much or simply the THC content was higher than expected, as well as depending on the variety. Some terpenes produced by cannabis can cause a slight throbbing in the skull. These include:
- caryophyllene
- Pinene
- limonene
Just pay attention to the strains that give you a headache - and whether they contain particularly high amounts of these terpenes. Sometimes, however, it is not the cannabis that causes the headache, but the tobacco that is often in the joint. So that could also be worth a try - just smoke it pure!
How can I reduce the side effects of cannabis?
If you have no pre-existing conditions, consider yourself a healthy person, but are a little worried about how harmful smoking one joint a day is, we have a few pieces of advice for you. Firstly, you can test your addiction potential. Do you find it difficult to just give up smoking a joint one day for no reason at all? Then you should definitely take a longer break.
But also check whether the same effect occurs when you smoke pure weed, because many long-term users are not so dependent on cannabis as much as on nicotine. If you simply like the taste, you can also CBD flowers CBD causes no side effects, tastes wonderful and also relaxes you.
And as a final tip, we can recommend: just get some help! Make sure that you are emotionally and psychologically stable – through personal development, therapy or something similar. As an all-round healthy and fulfilled person, you are much less likely to Long-term side effects of cannabis to benefit from it. Oh, and by the way: Any concentration difficulties caused by short-term consumption will go away if you keep your hands off it for a longer period of time.
